


if i went and hurt my body (would you love me the same)

by ghostlyGremlin



Category: Critical Role (Web Series)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Bisexual Female Character, Bisexual Male Character, Bisexuality, F/F, F/M, Gen, M/M, Multi, Other, Other Vox Machina Members, Platonic Soulmates, Polyamorous Character, Polyamory, Polymachina (Critical Role), Romantic Soulmates, Soulmate-Identifying Marks, Soulmates, Trans Female Character, Trans Vex'ahlia (Critical Role), vaxildan centric
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-22
Updated: 2021-01-28
Packaged: 2021-03-13 23:06:42
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 1,098
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28911306
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ghostlyGremlin/pseuds/ghostlyGremlin
Summary: Vax'ildan Vessar hides his soul marks from the world for a reason.He is broken. He must be.No one should have that many marks.~~~A soulmark AU where soulmates can be romantic or platonic, and you can have more than one. Vax is a bi disaster who doesn't quite grasp the fact that he can love as much as he does and its not a crime.
Relationships: Grog Strongjaw & Pike Trickfoot, Grog Strongjaw/Vax'ildan, Keyleth/Kashaw Vesh, Keyleth/Vax'ildan (Critical Role), Keyleth/Vex'ahlia (Critical Role), Kima/Allura Vysoren, Percival "Percy" Fredrickstein Von Musel Klossowski de Rolo III/Grog Strongjaw, Percival "Percy" Fredrickstein Von Musel Klossowski de Rolo III/Vax'ildan, Percival "Percy" Fredrickstein Von Musel Klossowski de Rolo III/Vex'ahlia, Pike Trickfoot/Vax'ildan, Pike Trickfoot/Vex'ahlia, Scanlan Shorthalt/Grog Strongjaw, Scanlan Shorthalt/Pike Trickfoot, Scanlan Shorthalt/Vax'ildan, Shaun Gilmore/Vax'ildan, Taryon Darrington/Percival "Percy" Fredrickstein Von Musel Klossowski de Rolo III, Taryon Darrington/Vox Machina, Vax'ildan & Vex'ahlia (Critical Role), Zahra Hydris/Kashaw Vesh, Zahra Hydris/Vex'ahlia
Comments: 6
Kudos: 57





	1. shes a lady (and i am just a boy)

Vax'ildan Vessar got his first mark at the ripe old age of 13, and it took him an entire afternoon to realize that he had more than one. 

Vex'halia counted a total of seven (not including her own initials that blessed the inside of his right forearm) sets of initials branded into her twin brother's skin, practically covering both his shoulderblades.

He covered them sloppily, and Vax turned bright pink every time his sister asked about her lack of concealer after that.

(She bought him his own bottle for his birthday that year.)

((And every year after that.))

\--------

Vax'ildan Vessar was roughly 27 when he met what would become Vox Machina, and he was 28 when they saved Tal Dorei the first time around.

By that fateful Winter's Crest, he knew each one of his fellow adventurers, and he had memorized each and every one of their soulmarks.

Pike's mark shown proudly on her clavicle: G.S. displayed in thick black letters that contrasted beautifully with her rich tanned skin.

Grog's mirrored hers, the smaller P.T. scrawled just as clearly along his own. The tattoos on the rest of his body curled around the mark in a remarkable way.

Keyleth kept her mark covered, mostly, if only out of convenience. The K.V. printed on her left hip was usually beneath her armor and clothes, but she eagerly showed it off when asked.

Scanlan was an enigma to Vax. He claimed he had no mark--not an uncommon phenomenon, as the twins' father had none--yet Vax knew the gnome had a brand mimicking Grog's, only on the back of his right thigh. 

Percival admitted to having one, but didn't bother going out of his way to show it. Vax only knew it was somewhere on his back, where many of his scars from Ripley were worst.

When his friends grew drunk or brave or curious enough, they would ask about his mark. The half-elven twin would claim he was like his sister; that his soul had no mark on it but hers, and never had. Most of his party either believed him or didn't care to press, but the daughter of Sarenrae would simply narrow her eyes at his deflecting.


	2. there is something

Vax'ildan learned that Keyleth had more than one soul mark on accident.

He had been awake late into the early morning--kept so by whatever part of his brain ruled over his exhaustion--and decided to try to pass the time the same way he always did during these bouts of insomnia; quietly wandering the halls of Greyskull until he eventually fell asleep on a random windowsill in the Keep.

He had been at this endeavor for hours when he made yet another lap through the halls of his party's rooms. Vax had made a game of jumping between shadows as silently as possible, and was quietly enjoying himself when he saw a recently risen druid with firey hair step out of the watercloset down the hall in naught but a towel and her dignity.

Vax had the courtesy to hide himself further in the shadow to spare the other half-elf her modesty, but not before catching a glimpse of a familiar pair of letters adorning the base of her neck where there had certainly been none before.

His mind jumped to his own Marks; how the druid had been the only member of Vox Machina whose initials were not among them; how she had captured his heart regardless. The rogue knew in that instant his sister bore the same as Keyleth, yet none of the familiar jealousy rose in his throat that had always accompanied the realization that his other half had fallen for the same person he had before.

Somehow, it felt only right that Vex'halia's spirit had made room for one more in her heart, and that the lucky individual was one of their new, strange little family.

The druid retreated to her rooms, humming one of Scanlan's songs softly off key, completely oblivious to her unintentional-voyeur. 

Vax'ildan collected his thoughts for but a moment before continuing his wanderings, a small smile tugging at his face as he went.

(When breakfast rolled around a few hours later, the Ashari was the one to find him, sleeping peacefully tucked deep away into an alcove far too small for his form.)


	3. and there is nothing

Scanlan showed him the second of his marks while they were both drunk from their most recent pub crawl.

Vox Machina had only just returned to Emon from saving yet another village from the week's monster, and neither the bard nor rogue had particularly enjoyed the excursion. 

Scanlan's enchantments had had little effect on the many headed beast, and Vax'ildan had missed nearly every swing he'd taken at the creature. Percival and Keyleth had been the ones to carry the team, downing it through a clever use of Entanglements and puckshots. 

The drinking (and payment) had been well awaited by the entire party, but none--save perhaps their resident Goliath or cleric--as eager as the rogue and bard.

The party stopped only briefly in town--Percy wanted to pick up treats for them all from a particular bakery--and split only for a moment when Vax'ildan parted to pay Gilmore's Glorious Goods a visit.

(Scanlan was the only one to note that the half-elf was in an evermore sour mood afterward.)

The pair had indulged heavily in their drinking, by the third bar already trading gripes about old unrequited loves and terrible luck.

Far past the sun's setting and only after everyone but Pike and Grog had retired, Vax'ildan and Scanlan had stumbled their way into the half-elf's bedroom in the Keep.

"I," Scanlan hiccuped, swaying in place as Vax pulled away from supporting him and began shucking his own shirt before bed. "I 'aven't been hones' wit' you, Vaxy."

"Whaddya mean, Scanman?" The taller turned to his friend, words slurring together, holding his shirt aloft in one hand with a dissociated sort of pride before tossing it aside. 

"Keep sayin' 've only got one mark," The bard mumbled, beginning to pull at the left leg of his pants. "But thassa lie! 've got a new one." He tugged the fabric up, and Vax'ildan had to stop to let his eyes adjust.

Where there had been none before, familiar initials adorned the skin. "G.S." scrawled in the same shaky hand as on Pike's collarbone.

Vax almost asked if the gnome had any other marks, but his mind's drunken fogginess and Scanlan's swift succumbing to sleep almost immediately after the reveal prevented him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Edit: This is the last of the prewritten chapters, so it will take some time for me to get the next one posted! 
> 
> thank you for your patience and support; it means the world.
> 
> See you next chapter <3   
> ~ Ghost/GG


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